Carton with foldout partition

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a foldable carton blank that, when folded, forms a carton having a partition wall for segregating products within the carton. The partition wall member may be hingedly attached to a front panel of the carton such that the partition wall member may be unattached from the front panel and extended across the bottom panel of the carton to form two compartments within the carton. A slot in the rear panel of the carton may secure an end portion of the partition wall member when the partition wall member extends across the bottom panel of the carton to form the two compartments within the carton.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority of Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 61/789,889 of Bell for CARTON WITH FOLDOUTPARTITION, filed Mar. 15, 2013, which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Foldable cartons or containers have a wide variety of applications in avariety of industries. One industry where foldable cartons are commonlyused is the food service industry, where the cartons are used astake-out boxes for storing leftover or take-out food. Often, when takingleftover food home from a restaurant, a restaurant customer may want tokeep her main dish separate and apart from her side dish. However, it isnot always the case that a separate compartment is necessary, and thusit would be preferable if a carton could serve as a partitioned orun-partitioned container.

The cartons may be manufactured in at least two ways. First, they may beprepared as carton blanks, flat sections of cardboard, paper, or othermaterial that include flaps and score lines. The carton blanks may befolded in such a way that they form a carton. Advantageously, cartonblanks are easily shipped because they can be stacked and bundled asflat goods. Moreover, the fact that the carton blanks may be stacked asflat carton blanks in a food facility decreases the amount of storagespace that the cartons take up in a facility. In addition to beingmanufactured as carton blanks, the cartons may be manufactured aspre-formed cartons in manners described below.

Most foldable carton blanks used throughout the art do not includepartitions. Still, cartons with dividers are commonly seen throughoutthe restaurant industry as foam containers that include a number ofsections that are partitioned to keep food segregated. While thosewell-known containers effectively keep food segregated, they pose anumber of issues. First, foam containers do not biodegrade easily, thusnegatively impacting the environment. Moreover, if food is too hot, thefoam containers may melt, risking ruined food and even burns. Foamcontainers must be stacked in order to be shipped as well, which cancause shipping expenses to increase. Stacking the containers also takesup valuable storage space when the containers are stored at a restaurantfacility.

As an alternative, containers constructed substantially similarly to thefoam containers described above may be constructed of a disposableplastic or even biodegradable paper material. Despite these cartonsreducing some of the environmental impact that the foam containers mayhave, the cartons still must be shipped in a stack, increasing shippingcosts and reducing storage space.

Thus it is desirable to provide a carton blank that is foldable, suchthat it can be shipped and stored in flat, stackable bundles, thusmaking the carton blank able to be shipped at a lower price and storedmore compactly. The containers should include a partition that is easilyconstructed when the carton blank is folded that can also be easilyremoved or positioned such that the partition is out of the way when thecontainer should not include segregated compartments.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a product carton used to store andtransport food items, wherein the carton includes a partition memberthat may be selectively engaged in order to form two compartments withinthe carton. The carton is manufactured as a foldable blank that may befolded when it is ready for use to form a carton that may selectivelyinclude the partition wall member forming the two compartments withinthe carton.

The foldable blank includes a plurality of panels, wherein when thepanels are folded according to the teachings of the present invention,the carton described herein is formed. When the foldable blank is in anunfolded position, a cover panel is hingedly connected to a top panelvia a score line. The cover panel is hingedly connected to a rear panel,the rear panel is hingedly connected to a bottom panel, and the bottompanel is hingedly connected to a front panel. All of the aforementionedhinged connections may be made by a score line. The aforementionedpanels also may further include end panels extending from the opposingside edges thereof the panels, wherein the end panels are also connectedto the panels via score lines. The front panel is further connected to apartition panel, which includes a flap portion and a partition wallportion, wherein the two portions may be separated by a score line.

When the foldable blank is folded into a carton for carrying goods, thevarious panels are folded along the score lines separating the panels,such that the bottom panel forms a bottom portion of the carton, therear panel forms a rear portion of the carton, the top panel forms a topportion of the carton, and the front panel and cover panel formoverlapping front portions of the carton. A slot and/or slit of thefront panel may receive a locking tab or latch of the cover panel toreleasably secure the cover panel to the front panel and close thecarton.

When the foldable blank is in its folded position and has formed thecarton shape described above, the partition panel may be in a number ofpositions. In one embodiment the partition panel may be folded inwardstoward the inside portion of the front panel such that the partitionpanel abuts the front panel and the carton only includes one compartmenttherein. In that embodiment the partition panel may be tacked, glued, orotherwise secured to the front panel.

In the preferred embodiment, the partition wall portion of the partitionpanel is unattached from the front panel, and the flap portion of thepartition panel remains attached to the front panel via the score line.The flap portion is folded inwards to abut the inside portion of thefront panel, where it may further be attached to the front panel in oneof the manners described above. The partition wall portion is foldedalong the score line separating it from the flap portion. The partitionwall portion may then be extended across the inside of the bottom panelforming the bottom portion of the carton so as to form two compartmentswithin the carton.

The partition wall portion extending across the bottom panel may besecured in a number of ways. Its end portion may be secured by a slotpositioned and located in a predetermined position of the rear panel.Alternatively a tab positioned extending down therefrom the partitionwall portion may be received by a corresponding slot in the bottom panelof the carton.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification andis to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numeralsare used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a blank used to form a carton with afoldout partition constructed in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carton constructed of the blankillustrated in FIG. 1, including a foldout partition in a partiallyfolded position in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carton illustrated in FIG. 2,wherein the foldout partition of the carton is arranged to create onecompartment within the carton.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carton illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3,wherein the foldout partition of the carton is arranged to create twocompartments within the carton.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed generally toward a carton having afoldout partition that may be selectively arranged such that the cartonmay include either one compartment or multiple compartments dependingupon a user's preference. The carton is constructed as a flat blank suchthat when it is folded it will form the carton including either onecompartment or multiple compartments.

Referring to FIG. 1, the carton of the present invention may be formedfrom a flat blank of material 10 that may be constructed of paperboardor other suitable material. One or both sides of the paperboard materialmay have a coating and/or graphics applied thereto. In one embodiment,the carton blank 10 is comprised of six main panels including a coverpanel 12, top panel 14, rear panel 16, bottom panel 18, front panel 20and partition panel 22. The panels are hingedly connected to one anotherby score lines, the score lines being constructed in a manner knownthroughout the art. The cover panel 12, top panel 14, rear panel 16,bottom panel 18 and front panel 20 are each hingedly connected by scorelines to end flaps 24 protruding from the opposing side edges thereof.One or more of the panels may include optional vents 26 defined thereinthat may be pushed open by a user. The carton blank 10 may be cut from alarger sheet of material in a die-stamping process. Some or all of thescore lines may be perforated to assist in the folding of the blank intothe finished carton.

In one embodiment, the cover panel 12 includes a locking tab or latch 28formed therein or protruding therefrom. In the same embodiment, thefront panel 20 includes a corresponding slot 30 or slit 31 definedtherein and configured to be engaged by the locking tab 28 of the coverpanel 12 for maintaining the carton in a closed orientation.

As illustrated in the figures, the carton of the present inventionincludes a partition panel 22. The partition panel 22 may be optionallyimplemented to divide the carton into multiple compartments (FIG. 4illustrates a carton including a partition panel 22 positioned to dividethe compartment into two compartments). This embodiment is of particularbenefit in cases where the carton contains two or more different typesof contents carried therein. The partition panel 22 may comprise a flapportion 32 and a partition wall portion 34, which are hingedly connectedtogether by a score line. As shown in FIG. 1, the partition panel 22 islocated adjacent the front panel 20. The flap portion 32 of thepartition panel 22 is hingedly connected to the front panel 20 by ascore line. The partition panel 22 may, be of a height that issubstantially similar to that of the front panel 20 and rear panel 16 ofthe carton.

When not in use, the entire partition panel 22 may be folded backagainst either the inner or outer surface of the front panel 20 or,alternatively, may be removed. FIG. 3 illustrates the carton when thepartition panel 22 has been secured adjacent the inner surface of thefront panel 20.

When the partition panel 22 is positioned to divide the carton into twocompartments, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the flap portion 32 (not visiblein FIG. 4) of the partition panel 22 is folded back against the innersurface of the front panel 20 and may optionally be glued thereto,whereas the partition wall portion 34 extends between the front panel 20and the rear panel 16. In one embodiment, the flap portion 32 is gluedto the inner surface of the front panel 20 and the partition wallportion 34 is free to be either folded against the front panel 20 (asillustrated in FIG. 3) or extended to the rear panel (as illustrated inFIG. 4). FIG. 2 illustrates the partition panel 22 when the partitionwall portion 34 has been unattached from the front panel 20 but is stillattached to the flap portion 32.

The two compartments formed within the carton when the partition wallportion 34 is extended to the rear panel 16 may be of varying sizes. Thesize of the compartments is determined by the length of the flap portion32. For example, if the compartments are to be of equal size, the flapportion 32 will have a length that is equal to half the length of thefront panel 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the length of theflap portion 32 (not illustrated in FIG. 4 because it is abutting thefront portion of front panel 20) is less than half the length of thefront panel 20, such that the partition panel 22 does not interfere withthe slot 30 defined in the front panel 20. As a result, the leftcompartment is smaller than the right compartment in that embodiment.

As depicted in the figures, the rear panel 16 may include a slit or slot36 defined therein suitable for receiving a terminal end 38 of thepartition wall 34 order to hold or lock the partition wall 34 in place.FIG. 4 illustrates the terminal end 38 of the partition wall 34 insertedthrough the slot 36 formed in the rear panel 16. In another embodiment,the partition wall 34 may either float freely or may comprise a tab (notshown) protruding from its bottom edge that may engage a slot (notshown) defined in the bottom panel 18. In a further embodiment, thepartition wall 34 may be folded so as to extend between the front panel20 and an end flap or sidewall in order to form a triangularcompartment.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference toother features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and iswithin the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of theinvention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it isalso to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and notlimiting.

The constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings arepresented by way of example only and are not intended to limit theconcepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, there has beenshown and described several embodiments of a novel invention. As isevident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the presentinvention are not limited by the particular details of the examplesillustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that othermodifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur tothose skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similarterms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of“optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the presentconstruction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the artafter considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. Allsuch changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applicationswhich do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention aredeemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by theclaims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A foldable blank to be used for forming a carton,said blank comprising: a plurality of panels including a cover panel, atop panel, a rear panel, a bottom panel, and a front panel, said coverand top panel, said top and rear panel, said rear and bottom panel, andsaid bottom and front panel being hingedly connected, and wherein atleast one of said panels further including end panels protruding fromopposing side edges thereof; a partition panel at least partiallyhingedly connected with said front panel, said partition panel includinga flap portion and a partition wall portion wherein said flap portionand partition wall portion of said partition panel are hingedlyconnected.
 2. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein said hingedconnections are formed by at least one score line.
 3. The foldable blankof claim 1, said front panel including a slot and said cover panelincluding a locking tab, wherein said locking tab is positioned andlocated for selective engagement with said slot when said blank isassembled to form said carton.
 4. The foldable blank of claim 1 whereinsaid rear panel includes a slot for receiving a terminal end of saidpartition wall portion to form at least two compartments within saidcarton when said blank is assembled to form said carton.
 5. The foldableblank of claim 1 wherein said rear panel further includes one or morevents.
 6. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein said top panel furtherincludes one or more vents.
 7. The foldable blank of claim 1 whereinsaid partition wall portion includes a tab protruding from its bottomedge, and said bottom panel includes a slot, said tab and said slotbeing selectively engageable when said blank is assembled to form saidcarton.
 8. The foldable blank of claim 1 wherein said blank isconstructed of paperboard.
 9. A carton assembled from a foldable blank,said carton comprising: a cover panel faulting a first front portion ofsaid carton; a top panel forming a top portion of said carton, whereinsaid top panel is hingedly connected to the cover panel; a rear panelhingedly connected to said top panel opposite said cover panel andforming a rear portion of said carton; a bottom panel hingedly connectedto said rear panel and forming a bottom portion of said carton; a frontpanel hingedly connected to said bottom panel and forming a second frontportion of said carton; a partition panel hingedly attached to saidfront panel, said partition panel including a flap portion and apartition wall portion, wherein said flap portion is hingedly attachedto said partition wall portion; and wherein said partition wall portionis detachable from said front panel for extending across said bottompanel to abut said rear panel.
 10. The carton of claim 9 wherein saidhinged connections are formed by at least one score line.
 11. The cartonof claim 9 wherein said rear panel includes a slot for receiving an endportion of said partition wall portion when said partition wall portionextends across said bottom panel.
 12. The carton of claim 9, said coverpanel including a latch and said front panel including a slot whereinsaid slot is positioned and located to receive said latch when thecarton is in a closed position.
 13. The carton of claim 9 wherein saidpartition wall portion includes a tab protruding from its bottom edge,and said bottom panel includes a slot, said slot being positioned andlocated to receive said tab when said partition wall portion extendsacross said bottom panel.
 14. The carton of claim 9 wherein said cartonis constructed of paperboard.
 15. The carton of claim 9 wherein saidrear panel further includes one or more vents.
 16. The carton of claim 9wherein said top panel further includes one or more vents.